1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to work holding fixtures, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved V-block fixture which allows cylindrical work pieces to be oriented at a variety of different predetermined angles in the work holding fixture of a machine tool such as a drill press or milling machine. Frequently, it is necessary to drill or mill cylindrical work pieces at standard angles of fifteen, thirty, forty five, sixty or ninety degrees. Previously, it has been necessary to maintain a large inventory of work holding fixtures to allow these machining operations to be performed. Alternatively, extremely expensive angularly adjustable fixtures may be utilized. In order to provide a simple economical and effective work holding fixture for overcoming these problems, the present invention provides a pair of mirror symmetrical V-blocks to allow machining of cylindrical work pieces at a variety of predetermined angular orientations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of work holding fixtures are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a work holding fixture is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. Design 263,787, which issued to M. Testa et al on Apr. 13, 1982. This patent discloses a pipeholding vice jaw attachment which provides a V-block fixture having two different sizes of V-grooves. U.S. Pat. No. 1,054,740, which issued to A. Bach on Mar. 4, 1913, discloses a vice jaw attachment which includes a fixture block provided with a plurality of different geometrical configurations of grooves for holding a variety of work pieces. U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,194, which issued to J. Coe on June 26, 1934, discloses a work holding attachment for a vice which allows a cylindrical tube to be sawed in half. The fixture includes a one piece metal block having a circular opening formed therethrough to receive a length of pipe. The block has a slot extending longitudinally of the axis of the opening and extending from the outer side of the block to the opening. U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,943, which issued to G. Haselwood on Nov. 24, 1942, discloses a V-block attachment for holding a cylindrical work piece in a vice. U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,478, which issued to E. Hennessey on Aug. 26, 1969, discloses a fixture block having an array of circular apertures for receiving selectively positionable work supporting pegs. This allows various configurations of work pieces to be supported at desired orientations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,391, which issued to A. Dutton on Sept. 9, 1980, discloses a multiple segmented chuck jaw for holding a work piece for a machining operation. The device comprises a master jaw and a shaped insert provided with cooperating dove tail portions for detachably securing the master jaw and the shaped insert together.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices provide a universal angle V-block work holding fixture which utilizes a pair of mirror symmetrical heptagonal blocks, each provided with a pair of different sized V-grooves on opposite faces thereof. Additionally, none of the aforesaid devices provide a work holding fixture capable of holding a cylindrical work piece at a variety of preselected angles for performing drilling or milling operations thereon. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of work holding fixtures, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such work holding fixtures, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.